May Day is an international public holiday celebrated specifically as “Labour Day” or “International Workers’ Day” around the world.

In 1904 the International Socialist Conference in Amsterdam, the Sixth Conference of the Second International, called on “all Social Democratic Party organisations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on the First of May for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace.” The date was chosen for “International Workers’ Day” to commemorate the Haymarket affair in Chicago on May 4, 1886. May Day has always been a day for demonstrations by various socialist, communist and anarchist groups since the Second International.

May Day is one of the most important holidays in the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Cuba and Russia. May Day celebrations usually include large parades with displays of military strength.

Earth (AKA “the World” or “the Globe”) is the third planet from the Sun and is the birthplace of humanity and the cradle of human civilization.

‘s Earth Day Doodle!

Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old. The oldest known rocks are about 4 billion years old (rocks older than 3 billion years are rare) and the oldest fossils of living organisms are less than 3.9 billion years old. With a radius of 3,959 miles, Earth is the biggest of the known terrestrial planets, and the fifth largest in our solar system.

Planet Earth, Sol System, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe

71 Percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. Earth’s atmosphere is 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, with traces of argon, carbon dioxide and water (H20). Earth’s oceans have an average depth of about 2.5 miles and contains 97 percent of the planet’s water. Earth has a central (inner and outer) core, a rocky mantle and a solid crust.

The name “Earth” is at least 1,000 years old and it is the only planet whose name doesn’t come from from Greek or Roman mythology. The name is from Old English and Germanic origins and means “ground”.

Earth orbits the sun and completes one daily rotation every 23.9 hours. It takes 365.25 days to complete a one year trip around the sun. The Earth’s axis is tilted 23.4 degrees to the plane of the planet’s orbit around the sun and this causes the cycle of seasons.

Earth is the only known planet that has a single moon. The moon is (an average distance of) 238,855 miles away from Earth.

Planet Earth, Sol System, Milky Way Galaxy, Universe

A beautiful Waikoloa sunset on the Big Island of Hawaii

We Can Run
by John Barlow & Brent Mydland

We don’t own this place though we act as if we didIt belongs to the children of our children’s kidsThe actual owners haven’t even been born yet

But we never tend the garden and we rarely pay the rentMost of it is broken and the rest of it is bentPut it all on plastic and I wonder where we’ll be when the bills hit

We can run but we can’t hide from itOf all possible worlds we only got one, we gotta ride on itWhatever we’ve done we’ll never get far from what we leave behindBaby we can run, run, run but we can’t hide

Well I’m dumping my trash in your back yardMaking certain you don’t notice really isn’t so hardYou’re so busy with your guns and all of your excuses to use them

Well it’s oil for the rich and babies for the poorWe’ve got everyone believing that more is moreIf a reckoning comes maybe we’ll know what to do then

We can run but we can’t hide from itOf all possible worlds we only got one, we gotta ride on itWhatever we’ve done we’ll never get far from what we leave behindBaby we can run, run, run but we can’t hide

All these complications seem to leave no choiceI heard the tongues of billions speak with just one voiceSaying just leave all the rest to me, I need it worse than you, you seeThen I heard the sound of one child crying

Today I went out walking in the amber windThere’s a hole in the sky where the light pours inI remember the days when I wasn’t afraid of the sunshine

But now it beats down on the ashphalt landLike a hammering blow from God’s left handWhat little still growsCringes in the shade till the night-time

We can run but we can’t hide from itOf all possible worlds we only got one, we gotta ride on itWhatever we’ve done we’ll never get far from what we leave behindBaby we can run, run, run but we can’t hide (….no, we can’t hide.)

Waimoku Falls – Hana, Maui (copyright 2010 JoshWillTravel)

Can You Handle The Truth?

Wild Geese Over the San Fernando Valley

LOVE YOUR MOTHER EARTH!

Use the links below to FOLLOW and LIKE us on other social media!RIGHT CLICK and “OPEN IN NEW WINDOW” TO VIEW LINKS>

“I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair… Borne, like a vapor on the summer air!”
– “Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair” by Stephen C. Foster

The fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name: “triskaidekaphobia” and the fear of Friday the 13th is “paraskevidekatriaphobia” or “friggatriskaidekaphobia”.

Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition.

Friday, October 13, 1307: To free himself from his debts, Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar. He tortured them into admitting heresy and then burned many of them at the stake.

The first documented mention of the day can be found in Henry Sutherland Edwards’ 1869 biography of Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (known for “The Barber of Seville” 1816and “The William Tell Overture” 1829), who died on Friday, November 13th, 1868 in Paris, France:

“He was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away.”

“Friday the Thirteenth” a 1907 book written by American businessman Thomas Lawson, may have further perpetuated the superstition. In the story, an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on Friday the 13th.

On “Black Friday” September 24, 1869 a failed plot to corner the market at the New York Gold Exchange and left many wealthy investors broke. Jay Gould and James Fisk (aka The Gold Ring) tried to buy as much gold as they could to drive up the price. The plot was discovered, President Ulysses S. Grant released $4 million worth of gold into the market, the price of gold dropped and the speculators were ruined.

Biblical origins: Jesus was crucified on Good Friday. There were 13 guests at the Last Supper the night before the crucifixion. Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, has been named as “the 13th guest”.

Norse mythology traces the superstition back to a story of a banquet at Valhalla where Loki, the demi god of mischief came unannounced as the 13th guest and caused chaos.

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, 17 to 21 million Americans suffer from Fear of Friday the 13th. Symptoms range from mild anxiety and a nagging sense of doom to full-blown panic attacks.

Many businesses (like airlines and casinos) suffer from severe losses on Friday the 13th. Most high-rise buildings, hotels and hospitals don’t have a “13th floor” and most airports avoid having gates with the number 13. In many countries, having 13 people at the dinner table is considered bad luck.

There is little evidence that Friday the 13th is actually an unlucky day. Studies have shown that Friday the 13th has little or no effect on events like accidents, hospital visits and natural disasters.

Friday 13th is a lucky day in many Spanish speaking countries. Instead Tuesday the 13th (13 Martes) is considered the unluckiest day. The ancient Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) an unlucky day. Friday the 13th is also considered a lucky day for children to be born on.

Alfred Hitchcock, “the master of suspense”, was born on August 13, 1899. His directorial debut was the film “Number 13” in 1922.

There will be another Friday the 13th this year (2017) in the month of October.

FULL MOON FRIDAY!
The “Wolf Moon” peaked at its full phase yesterday: Thursday, January 12 at 6:34am

Ask yourself: What did you want in 2016 but never found or accomplished?

Prepare for a new lunar month and year!
Take time to reflect on the past year under the clear light of the full moon.
Whatever your goals are, plan on how to get what you want most in this new year.

“Gwine to run all night! Gwine to run all day!I’ll bet my money on de bob-tail nag. Somebody bet on de bay.”– “De Camptown Races” (or “Gwine To Run All Night”) by Stephen C. Foster

Stephen C. Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864)

Stephen C. Foster died on January 13, 1864 at the age of 37. Born on July 4, 1826 in Lawrenceville (now Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania. He is known as “The Father of American Music.” He wrote over 200 songs, primarily parlor and minstrel music, including “Oh! Susanna” (the anthem of the California Gold Rush) “Camptown Races” “My Old Kentucky Home” (became the official state song of Kentucky in 1928) “Old Folks at Home” (became the state song of Florida in 1935 and the lyrics were modified as the times changed) “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair” “Old Black Joe” and “Beautiful Dreamer” (released after his death). Many of his songs had Southern themes, yet Foster never lived in the South and visited it only once in 1852. Three Hollywood films have been made of his life: “Harmony Lane” (1935), 20th Century Fox’s “Swanee River” with Don Ameche (1939) and “I Dream of Jeanie” (1952).Stephen Foster Memorial Day is a United States Federal Observance Day according to Title 36 of the United States Code. It was made law in November of 1966 and was first celebrated in 1967.

Al Jolson as E.P. Christy sings “Oh Susanna” from the film “Swanee River” in 1940
(in minstrel show blackface):

And Al Jolson performs “Swanee” in George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” in 1945:

Bing Crosby sings “Swanee River” from the film “Mississippi” in 1935:

Korean American Day #KoreanAmericanDay
Commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States in 1903 and honors their contributions to American culture and society. President George W. Bush issued a proclamation on the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrant in 2003. The U.S. House and Senate passed simple resolutions in support of Korean American Day in 2005.

The Flag of South Korea

National Peach Melba Day #NationalPeachMelbaDay
Peach Melba was invented in 1892 or 1893 by the French chef Auguste Escoffier while employed at the Savoy Hotel in London to honor the Australian soprano Nellie Melba. Made with peaches, vanilla ice cream, raspberry sauce and topped with spun sugar, the dessert was originally called “Pecheau Cygne” or “Peach Swan” and was served inside a swan-shaped ice sculpture.

Escoffier’s Classic Peach Melba (see the recipe below)

National Sticker Day #NationalStickerDay
R. Stanton Avery, born on January 13, 1907, was the original creator of the adhesive label with a removable backing.National Blame Someone Else Day #BlameSomeoneElseDay
(always celebrated on the first Friday the 13th of the year)
and it’sNational Rubber Ducky Day #NationalRubberDuckyDay
(the earliest patent for a rubber duck toy was in 1928 by Landon Smart Lawrence)
Russian Sculptor Peter Ganine designed and patented a floating toy “uncapsizeable duck” in 1949 (US Patent 153426 & 153514, over 50,000,000 were sold) which closely resembles the rubber ducky we have today. The rubber ducky was inducted into the New York Toy Hall of Fame in 2013 (founded in 1998, the New York Toy Hall of Fame has only inducted 52 other toys). According to a 1973 “Sesame Street” calendar, Rubber Duckie’s Birthday is on January 13. Duckie made his debut in a February 1970 episode.

And as of yesterday the San Diego Chargers are now the Los Angeles Chargers!

Monday is a HOLIDAY!

Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)

Monday, January 16, 2017 – Martin Luther King Day Federal Holiday
Commemorates the birthday of American civil rights leader Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (born Michael King Jr.) on January 15, 1929 and celebrates his life, achievements and civil rights legacy. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. The federal holiday was created in 1983 and first observed in January 1986. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. was dedicated in 2011.

View From The Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963

From the King Center website (www.kingcenter.org):“On this day we commemorate Dr. King’s great dream of a vibrant, multiracial nation united in justice, peace and reconciliation; a nation that has a place at the table for children of every race and room at the inn for every needy child. We are called on this holiday, not merely to honor, but to celebrate the values of equality, tolerance and interracial sister and brotherhood he so compellingly expressed in his great dream for America.”

MLK’s “I HAVE A DREAM” Speech
Delivered on August 28, 1963 at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C to over 250,000 people on the National Mall. the speech was originally written as a homage to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and was timed to correspond with the 100-year centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation.

“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.I have a dream today.I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.I have a dream today.”

NOTE: Martin Luther King Jr. was named “Man of the Year” by TIME magazine in 1963, and was the youngest person ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. The full speech did not appear in writing until August 1983, 15 years after his death, when a transcript was published in The Washington Post. The Library of Congress added the speech to the United States National Recording Registry in 2002. The National Park Service dedicated an inscribed marble pedestal to commemorate the speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 2003.

Coming soon! THE YEAR OF THE RED FIRE ROOSTERThe first day of Chinese New Year is Saturday, January 28, 2017.

Instructions:1. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a large saucepan. Heat on low until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Cook at boiling for about 3 minutes and then return to simmer.
2. Cut the peaches in half. Place in the sugar syrup and poach about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Test with a knife to determine if they are done and when finished poaching, place them on a plate to cool.
3. After the peaches have cooled, peel off the skin and remove the pits.
4. For raspberry sauce: combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until very smooth. Strain through a colander and into a bowl.
5. Assemble the dessert by placing 2 peach halves in a bowl along with a scoop of ice cream. Spoon raspberry sauce on top and serve immediately.

Happy National Rubber Ducky Day!Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman created a series of giant floating rubber ducks in 2007.
The ducks ranged in size and appeared in 25 cities around the world.

Add and Fold the sifted sugar gradually into the whipped egg whites.
Beat the mixture until it thickens again.
Add and Fold in the egg yolk mixture and:
Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Add and Fold in the sifted cake flour.

Shape the dough into oblongs with a paper tube
Place the dough on ungreased paper on a baking sheet;
or pour into greased ladyfinger molds.

Bake about 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove the baking sheet from oven.
Immediately slide the parchment paper (with the ladyfingers) onto a wire rack.
Let cool for just a minute and remove them from the paper using a flat spatula or knife.
Cool completely on wire rack. (If they cool before removing them, they may stick and are hard to remove without breaking)

Ladyfingers are best fresh on the day they are made. To freeze, place in a plastic bag between layers of wax or parchment paper and store frozen for up to one month.

Ladyfingers are long, thin sponge cakes shaped like a large finger. Also known as Boudoir biscuits, sponge biscuits, sponge fingers, Naples biscuits, Savoy biscuits and biscuits la cuiller. They can be served with desserts like ice creams, custards and coffees, and they are used as a component in other desserts. Ladyfingers can be either soft and cakey or dry and crispy, but they always have a sponge-like texture. Their texture makes them a perfect choice for soaking up flavors, which is why they are frequently used in other desserts. Ladyfingers are usually plain with a neutral taste, but can be flavored with any extract, a bit of citrus zest, cocoa or spice to give them a flavor that stands out.

Tiramisu made with Ladyfingers

—————————————————————–

“Stephen prosper in his time Well he may and he may declineDid it matter? does it now? Stephen would answer if he only knew how”

St. Stephen’s Day (Lá Fhéile Stiofáin) or the Day of the Wren (Lá an Dreoilín),
commemorates the life of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr who was stoned to death. The second day of Christmas is also called Boxing Day, Wren Day or Constitution Day.

St. Stephen’s Feast Day (Il giorno di Santo Stefano) is celebrated as a public holiday in Italy, the United Kingdom, most of Europe and Canada on December 26.

Traditionally in the United Kingdom, Boxing Day was a holiday when employers gave money, food, tools, cloth, clothing or other valuable goods to their employees. In modern times, Boxing Day is a bank holiday and a day for sporting events and the start of post-Christmas sales. Some schools, businesses and organization are closed for the entire week between Christmas and New Years Day.

St. Wenceslaus was a Bohemian prince born in 903 AD and killed in 938 AD. He is the patron Saint of Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) and his Feast is on September 28. The Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslaus” uses an old medieval melody about springtime, “Tempus adest florid” and mentions the Feast of St. Stephen:

“Good King Wenceslaus looked out on the Feast of Stephen,When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.”

St. Stephen was the first Deacon of the Christian church. A Deacon is supposed to care for the poor and St. Stephen’s Day is a day of charity for giving food, money and other items to servants, sevice workers, and the needy. St. Stephen is also the patron of stone masons, people with headaches and horses.

“Saint Stephen” performed by the Grateful Dead
written by Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh and Robert Hunter
originally released on the 1969 studio album “Aoxomoxoa”Saint Stephen/Not Fade Away/Saint Stephen/Morning Dew
Cornell University, Barton Hall, Ithaca, NY on 5/8/77 >

A recording of the Grateful Dead at Barton Hall, Cornell University in Ithaca, New York on 5/8/77 was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2012!

“Did he doubt or did he try?Answers aplenty in the bye and byeTalk about your plenty, talk about your illsOne man gathers what another man spills”

This sh*tty breakfast cost $23 at Morels with a french pressed coffee included:

Breakfast at Morels Las Vegas at the Palazzo

WE WERE SERVED THIS SH*TTY BREAKFAST LAST AUGUST AT MORELS LAS VEGAS AT THE PALAZZO AND WE ARE STILL ANGRY!

Coffee with Breakfast at Morels Las Vegas at the Palazzo

Complain to them about sh*tty food on Twitter and you’ll get BLOCKED!
How’s that for customer service and care?

So we wrote a REVIEW ON FACEBOOK and gave them 1 STAR:
(because no stars was not an option)

Screenshot of Our Review on facebook

Emily wants to know “Why’d you block him?” on March 31st.
And there was NO RESPONSE.

DON’T EAT HERE. There are many other good choices in Las Vegas!

Morels is inside the Palazzo Las Vegas. One more reason not to go there.

NOTE: We started this Blog before the Mass Shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando Florida, where 50 human beings were murdered and 53 other people were injured. This horrible event, combined with the reaction to the event, and the constant INSANITY of Donald Trump, we thought we’d channel our negative energy into something positive and finished this negative Blog about a negative experience.

25000 Hits!!!!!

25000 HITS!!!!!

THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOYAL FOLLOWERS AND READERS!!!!!

It’s a MILESTONE! When we started this Blog in February 2013 we wondered how long it would take to reach the milestone numbers. We have finally reached 25000, without any paid promotion or heavy marketing. In fact, beyond our facebook and Twitter posts, we have let our Blog grow organically without hype and have attracted loyal readers from around the world!

25000 HITS!!!!!

Sunday 24 April 2016 is the day we hit 25000 Hits on our Blog!!!!!

25000 HITS!!!!! A Champagne Toast!!!!!

We will continue to post about things we find interesting, important and fun!
Thank you again for your time and attention! We look forward to the next milestone!

LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR, TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE WRITER/BLOGGER

"Your Travel is Our Business!"
I hope that by sharing my journeys and experiences you will be inspired to embark on your own travel adventures. This blog is interactive, so please join in.
I welcome your questions, feedback, comments and emails.